Computer-controlled press brake

In a press brake of the type having a frame, a bed and a ram constrained to reciprocate along a defined operating path toward and away from said bed, a control and actuator system for moving said ram from a first position to a second predetermined position along said operating path, comprising, in combination:

• drive means for driving said ram along said operating path in response to a plurality of applied analog control signals, said drive means comprising a hydraulic actuator system adapted to drive each end of said ram including at least one proportional servo valve in said hydraulic system associated with each end of said ram, each servo valve being proportionally responsive to selected of ones of said analog control signals,
• ram position sensing means providing an output signal indicative of the instaneous position of said ram,
• control means responsive to said position-indicative output signal for generating a ram profile command signal,
• ram tilt sensing means for detecting the degree of ram tilt and generating a signal indicative thereof,
• means for combining said ram profile command signal and said ram tilt signal to develop at least two analog control signals for selective application to said proportioning servo valves, said analog control signals providing for ram tilt correction by simultaneous and opposite compensation at said servo valves associated with the respective ends of said ram.

In a press brake of the type having a frame, a bed, a ram constrained to reciprocate along a defined linear operating path toward and away from said bed and at least one transducer having a rotary shaft input for measuring selected of the characteristics of said ram's motion, the improvement comprising:

• a rack gear carried by said ram along said defined linear path,
• mounting means for resiliently mounting said rack gear to said ram,
• a support member mounted on said bed independently of said frame,
• said transducer being carried by said support member adjacent said rack gear, said rotary shaft input of said transducer being cooperatively engaged with said rack gear so that linear motion of said rack gear is translated into rotary motion of said transducer, said independent support member and resilient mounting means cooperating to isolate said rack gear and transducer from warping of the ram or frame during pressing.